


Stubbornly Persistent Illusion

by FireThatFox



Category: Naruto
Genre: Another Time Travel AU, F/M, Post 4 th War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-03
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:40:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27358927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FireThatFox/pseuds/FireThatFox
Summary: Kakashi just wanted to spend time with Sakura, but he hadn't signed up for...this.Sakura had wanted to ask the founders so many questions but hadn't gotten the chance after the war...but this...wasn't what she had in mind.Pakkun was just glad he could help them get out of the cave without tripping and breaking their necks.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura & Hatake Kakashi, Haruno Sakura/Hatake Kakashi
Comments: 37
Kudos: 108





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> “People like us, who believe in physics, know that the distinction between past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion.” – Albert Einstein
> 
> That's right folks, another new Time Travel AU...and no, my other fics still aren't completed, but you can't stifle creativity right?

“What exactly are we looking for Sakura?” Kakashi walked behind her as they made their way up the side of the cliff face behind the Hokage’s tower. He had left his headband in his apartment because Sakura had all but dragged him out his front door no less than ten minutes ago. He didn’t know how but somehow he was late meeting her at his own apartment. It was okay though, he didn’t mind, because it was her.

“I already told you old man.” Sakura smirked at her old sensei over her shoulder as she continued to walk up the cliff face. “A rare looking green and white flower.”

Kakashi hummed to himself and wondered what constituted as ‘rare looking’. Technically weren’t all flowers rare looking in some part of the world or another. It really depended on how you looked at it, but he knew that excuse wouldn’t get him very far with Sakura. He smiled...ever since he had retired as Hokage and handed the mantle of responsibility to Naruto, another one of his students, he had been spending most of his time with Sakura. Helping her out at the hospital, going with her as an advisor to visit other nations when she went to help them out at their hospitals...she was quite popular nowadays, after the war.

Yes, all of his students had made names for themselves, most of all Naruto. He was proud of all of them, even Sasuke, but more proud of Sakura. He felt that she had come the farthest, had struggled and worked the most for her place in the sun and he was just happy to stand beside her, as her friend, her former sensei and her...well, he wasn’t sure what they were really.

Kakashi watched the back of Sakura’s red shirt flap in the breeze and wondered when they would eat lunch, what they were eating for lunch and if he could convince her to stop soon to eat lunch. He was hungry and it wasn’t even noon.

They had been eating lunch with one another a lot lately, dinner too...he wondered when things had changed between them and if she...felt it too.

Naruto, understandably, was extremely busy as the new Hokage. Sasuke was still looking to revive his clan...since Sakura had turned down his proposal a month ago.

That had shocked everyone, himself included and he thought it had even shocked Sakura herself. He was pleased though and proud of her at the same time. It was confusing to him. He was proud but also...relieved and he wasn’t quite sure why he felt that way. Maybe he was more protective of her than he thought, she used to be the weakest member of Team 7, perhaps...he hadn’t completely lost his sensei radar when it came to her...if he ever had it.

He chuckled to himself. He had never wanted a Genin team. He had been wary of the Lord Third’s proposal that he not only take on a Genin team, but one that consisted of the Nine tails jinchuriki and the last Konoha Uchiha...Sakura had been a welcome blessing, except that she had been a girl and at that time in his life...he had absolutely no experience with girls.

Even now...he had no experience with women...he was hopeless. He knew it but it didn’t matter. He didn’t need a girlfriend or a wife, he had...Sakura. Only...she wasn’t really his...what was she?

“Kakashi?” Sakura’s voice cut through his thoughts bringing him out of his head and back into the reality of his surroundings.

“Yes?” Kakashi asked her, looking around. “When did we get here?”

A light laughter, the sound of tinkling bells filled his head.

“Uh, we’ve been here for the last ten minutes. I’ve been talking to you this whole time. Geeze old man, what were you thinking of?” Sakura placed one of her hands on her hips and cocked her head to the side smiling at him.

“Adorable.” The word slipped past his lips before he could stop himself.

“What?” Sakura blushed slightly and looked away. She had heard him of course but…

“So uh.” Kakashi shoved his hands into the front pockets of his jounin pants and rocked back on his heels. “Did we find it?”

“We?” Sakura laughed at him, the sound of bells filled the air around them and he smiled a smooth delicious smile at her. “I found it Kakashi, while you were off in lala land.”

“Hm.” He agreed without agreeing. He didn’t mind being in lala land as she called it, if she was there with him.

“This is the flower I need. Can you help me look for more?” Sakura held up an average looking green and white flower for his reference.

“Sure thing.” Kakashi watched her out of the corner of his eye. Her blush was fading but it had been there, she had heard him call her adorable and she...had liked it.

They spent the next hour chatting about nothing, looking for more flowers and enjoying the nice weather, as well as one another’s company.

Sakura moved around the small grassy area on the cliffside behind the village, moving slowly toward the wooded area that separated the cliffs from the Naka river that led to the Valley of the End. Her thoughts, as usual, spiraled out of control and she wondered how the old Hokages had felt being summoned back for their war and what they had felt having been summoned...going back to...the afterlife or nothing...the space between.

There had been so many questions that she had wanted to ask them, but of course in the middle of battle and then again at the end of the battle...certainly wasn’t the best time.

Even after their war was over, she had continued to think of questions to ask them, even though she didn’t have the chance, and hadn’t asked them any when she had the chance to. She particularly regretted not asking The Lord Second about his Flying Thunder Kami Technique or about some of his more advanced seals.

“Oh well.” She sighed and picked another flower from the grass in front of her, placing it in her basket.

“Something wrong Sakura?” Kakashi was beside her before she had even blinked, looking down at her with those beautiful slate grey eyes of his. A thunderstorm, that’s what he reminded her of, with that white hair like lightning and those stormy grey eyes.

“No, I was just lamenting on how I never got to ask the former Hokage all of the questions I’d wanted to ask them while they were here, you know, at the end of the war.” She laughed. It was silly, she knew. “I know I’ll never have the chance again but I keep coming up with more and more questions to ask.”

Kakashi chuckled. “You have the most active mind out of anyone I have ever met Sakura.”

“I suppose.” She smiled, picking another flower and placing it in her basket with the others.

Kakashi watched her for a moment before bending over to pick more flowers. “You know…” He began slowly. “There was a rumor when we were at the academy, that the Lord Second had a secret research lab around here, built into the cliffside, behind the current old ruins...that weren’t quite as ruined in his time.”

Kakashi eye crinkled at her. “Minato sensei told us how his sensei Lord Third had gone looking for it once, but Lord Second caught him and punished him for looking for it.”

“Yeah? Well, that just means it was there then doesn’t it?” Sakura immediately perked up. Tobirama Senju had always been her favorite Hokage, ever since her academy days, he still was, if she were honest. Presently company not included.

“Yeah.” Kakashi looked around, placed both of his palms to the ground. “In fact, if what Minato sensei told Obito, Rin and I was accurate, we should be…”

He infused his palms with chakra and released a bolt of lightning into the ground. Sakura cried out in surprise as the earth crumbled beneath their feet and they fell straight down into darkness.

“...right above it.” Kakashi finished his sentence, coughing in the dust that rose up around them. “You okay Sakura?”

He knew she was. She had infused her arms and legs like he had and tried to grab onto the falling rocks as they fell and he had felt her kick off a few of the larger boulders just like he had to cushion the drop.

“Yeah.” Sakura coughed and cleared her throat. “Wow, how far down are we?”

Kakashi felt through the dark for her hand. He felt her fingers tighten around his and immediately felt better. Ever since the war he had...well, he had a recurring nightmare where she was...he shook his head, now wasn’t the time. She was here, she was safe, that’s all that mattered.

They looked up together. Most of the dust and dirt had cleared in the air around them. A pin prick of light, too small to even cast a beam in their darkened cavern.

“Looks like we fell pretty far.” Kakashi told her what she already knew.

“What should we do uh, try to climb back out or…” Sakura turned her head from left to right. She couldn’t see a thing.

“I don’t know how we would even begin to climb back out and as for finding another way...I can’t see anything, can you?” He asked.

“No.” 

He felt her shoulders slump and squeezed her hand. 

“Don’t worry.” He dropped her hand and bit his thumb, bent over to the ground and summoned Pakkun.

“Hey Boss, it’s kinda dark in here. What’d you do, fall down a hole chasing tail?” Pakkun snickered at his own joke.

Sakura giggled appreciatively. “Hi Pakkun.”

“Hey there Sakura. Good to smell you again, can’t see you.” Pakkun’s wet nose found her hand, he leaned up against her leg as she bent over to pet him in the dark.

“Very funny.” Kakashi said dryly. “We need your help, as you guessed, we fell down a hole and can’t see a thing. My nose is only so good, I can’t smell any fresh air except for the air above us. Think you could help us out?”

“Sure sure.” Pakkun pushed himself off of Sakura’s leg and began to sniff the air, the ground and their general area in the dark.

“It’s faint but...I think I can smell a change in the air, this way…” Pakkun bumped Sakura’s ankles.

“Wait a moment.” Sakura called out to Pakkun before he could get too far away. She pulled the sash off of her headband and tied it to Pakkun’s collar like a leash. “This way we can follow you and not lose you.”

Sakura grasped Kakashi’s hand. “I’ve got Kakashi’s hand, lead on Pakkun.”

Kakashi smiled in the dark. She couldn’t see him so it didn’t matter. He was almost...almost happy they had fallen down a pit into the bowels of the earth with one another. Almost.

What seemed like several hours later Sakura tugged on her sash that she had tied around Pakkun’s collar. “Should we stop for a bit to eat? I brought a lunch with me, for us Kakashi. There’s enough for Pakkun too but maybe...we should only eat a little. Who knows how long we might be down here.”

“Good idea, but you eat Sakura. Pakkun can eat when he gets done helping us and I’m not hungry.” Kakashi squeezed her hand lightly. He was hungry, really hungry, but he wasn’t about to tell her that. He had even forgotten to eat breakfast because he had woken up late for their foraging.

“Well…” Sakura hesitated.

“Please Sakura, really I’m not hungry.” Kakashi insisted. If there was only one lunch and an unknown amount of time that it would take for them to get out of this mess, he wanted her to have enough food. It didn’t matter if he ate or not.

“Just a bite or two then.” Sakura pulled the box lunch from her pouch and opened the individual bento she had brought for herself leaving Kakashi’s in her pouch. Taking the first two rice balls from the bento she ate them quickly, just in case Kakashi was lying, like she thought he was. She didn’t want to torture him if he was trying to be nice and maybe he would eat some, later.

“Ready.” She picked her sash end back up. “Lead on, fearless beast.” She teased Pakkun playfully, making him snicker again.

The air changed around her, it was heavy and for a moment she couldn’t breathe. “Ka Kakashi did you...feel that?” She asked him.

“Yeah.” He coughed, choking a bit trying to inhale too quickly. Whatever it was had caught him by surprise as well. “It almost felt like we walked through a barrier or some sort of seal.” He mumbled.

“That’s what I was thinking too. Odd though, a seal down here? ...but if this was the Lord Seconds research lab then...maybe.” It was a possibility.

“Let’s just work on getting out of here first, then we can figure it out.” He told her.

“Yeah, you’re right.” She agreed. “Priorities.”

She wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but she knew she was getting tired. Before she could suggest they stop for a small break Pakkun pulled on the sash.

“I think I smell fresh air, yes, this way come on, I think we’re close to an exit.” Pakkun called out over his shoulder to them.

“Thank kami.” Sakura nearly moaned. She was disgusted with herself. She was out of shape, she ought to be able to go farther, longer, but her feet hurt and she was tired...and thirsty. Kakashi hadn’t eaten or taken anything to drink this whole time, she knew he must be starving and parched. She would make sure he got both something to eat and drink as soon as they got out. 

“Here we are.” Pakkun announced, pride spilling from his muzzle. He had led them to safety.

“...but.” Kakashi paused, looking ahead of them where the light changed. “It’s night time?”

“I guess we were in there a lot longer than we thought.” Sakura pulled on his hand toward the exit.

“Sakura, wait...I can feel…” Kakashi tried to pull her back but she had quickened her pace and her fingers had slipped from his. “Sakura stop!”

“Ack!” Sakura’s muffled protest was smothered by thickly covered arms. She was pulled up into a hard thickly covered chest. The air around her was cold, too cold for the mild Spring they had experienced just that morning when she had pulled Kakashi from his apartment.

“Who are you and what are you doing in my cave?” A deep voice vibrated against Sakura’s back as the man who held her spoke.

“Who am I? Who the hell are you and why don’t you recognize me!” Sakura yelled once he had removed his hand from her mouth.

“I do not recognize you trespasser. Now answer me, what are you doing in my village? You’re dressed strangely, what land are you from?” The man demanded, tightening his grip around her arms and waist.

“Let me go you fucking…” Sakura began but was stopped by Kakashi’s shocked voice.

“Lord Second, Tobirama Senju… you’re back?” Kakashi asked, making Sakura still in the other man’s arms.

“Lord Second?” Sakura tried to look up, to see the face of the man who held her but couldn’t, his grip was too strong.

“Back, Lord Second? I never left. I’ll ask you one last time. Who are you and what are you doing in my cave?” His deep voice was threatening and low...Sakura could feel his chakra pulsating around her...he was getting ready to...oh no...

“Kakashi!” Sakura reached out with one hand, infused her other with chakra and pushed the Lord Second Hokage from her body with a brute force like nothing he had ever seen or felt before...grabbed Kakashi’s other hand, and darted into the dense woods behind them, their feet barely leaving any prints in the snow.

Tobirama Senju went flying in the opposite direction of the strange speaking woman and strangely dressed man. By the time he steadied himself, stood and scanned the surrounding area for their chakra signatures...they were gone. The rapidly falling snow covering their prints.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tags will change as story progresses.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter to keep it going.
> 
> Going to take a small step back from this one to focus on "Spring Forward".
> 
> Will update as inspiration hits me, but I don't think it will be for a bit, or at least until I get more done on my other fics.

Branches flew back and hit Kakashi in the face, scratched his arms and pulled at his clothing. Adrenaline gushed through his veins...The Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju was back in Konoha and...and...didn’t recognize them.

“How?” Kakashi had found his feet and had let go of Sakura’s hand as they raced through the forests surrounding Konoha, desperately suppressing their chakra from the Lord Second and trying to out run his Kami of Thunder technique.

“I don’t know but we need to keep going. I’m not stopping until I’m sure he isn’t following us. You’re not a sensor and neither am I but Lord Second is...and he’s the fastest shinobi in history.” Sakura’s voice fell back onto his as they continued to run at breakneck speed, their feet barely touching the snow-crusted trees.

“Minato Sensei was faster.” Kakashi said absently as they fled. “I think we can stop now Sakura. Lord Second would have caught up to us by now if he was going to.”

She knew he was right, she knew that out of all of the kages he would have already caught up to them at this point but her flight mode had kicked in and she wasn’t sure she was ready to stop running, because to stop running from their predicament, meant facing it.

Her steps slowed. She kicked off of one more branch before falling soundlessly to the snow covered forest floor.

“Winter?” Sakura spoke the word she had feared since leaving the dark cave. “Kakashi, what does this mean?” She knew he didn’t know anymore than she did but…

“ I don’t know.” He had a theory but he wasn’t quite ready to share it with her yet. He needed more time to think about it. There was no use in frightening her with speculation, although he doubted anything he said could be more frightening than the reality of the changed season around them...than that of the season they had left that morning in ‘their’ Konoha.

“Let’s find some shelter for the night, or make some.” Kakashi made the hand signs and a tall mud wall erupted from the forest floor. He made three more, enclosing them in for the night, and one more, that Sakura lifted up and over the top for a roof. With his lightning release he sealed the edges of the walls and ceiling, cut out a small smoke hole and turned to Sakura. “Come here, it’s cold.”

Kakashi laid his head on hers as she stepped into his embrace.

“We should start a fire.” She mumbled into the front of his shirt but made no move to start one.

“You need to eat.” He told her, but made no move to let her go.

“Kakashi?” Her voice wavered, she bit her lip. Now was not the time to fall apart. “Where are we?”

Kakashi swallowed. He knew what she was asking, so...she had come to the same conclusion, or at least had the same theory in her head as he did.

“As far as I can tell, we're still in the forests that surround Konoha.” He knew what she was asking. “Other than that, I think it is best not to speculate Sakura, we need more information. No use worrying for nothing right?”

She nodded. ‘...then why are we here, instead of going back to the village.’ She argued with him in her head. “Right.” She mumbled.

“You sit, rest. I’ll start a fire to warm us.” He released her gently and stepped back, his hand falling to his pouch taking his flint from it and moving to the corner where he had made a smoke hole. “Hand me that wood will ya Sakura Chan?”

Sakura looked around the dark makeshift shelter, her toe moving out in front of her. She bent when she felt the wood he spoke of. “There won’t be enough for the whole night.”

She moved around the shelter with her hands low to the ground searching for more. “We should have collected some before making the walls.”

Kakashi sniffed the air, his nose to the ceiling. “We don’t need enough for the whole night, dawn is coming soon. We should move then.”

Sakura handed him the megar sticks and branches she had found. “...and go where?” She asked him.

“Well…” He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “We should see if Konoha is uh...still Konoha?”

She couldn’t see his face, it was too dark but she heard the unease in his voice, like the turning of her stomach. 

“Yeah, good idea.” She crouched down beside him, her arms wrapped around herself. She was freezing.

Twenty minutes later they sat side by side before the fire Kakashi had made for them, sharing the last of the bento from earlier that day. It seemed like weeks ago that she had made the lunch boxes for their local foraging trip, yet it had been only one day.

“Save the other bento Sakura. While I’m sure we could find a winter rabbit or forage for some root vegetables, I’d rather not draw any attention to us if we can help it by hunting.” Kakashi shoved the last of his rice ball into his mouth. He was still very hungry but they had to be smart about this, until they knew more about their situation, he wanted to be cautious.

“I agree.” Sakura wrapped the empty bento box back up in it’s napkin and tied it before placing it back in her pouch. “We should try to get some sleep, if only an hour or two.”

She pulled her storage scroll from her pouch and released her travel bedding, laid it out on the floor holding the cover open for Kakashi to slide in, then her after him. They had been a team so long both before and after the war that she thought nothing of sharing a bed with him, it was second nature on a mission and their situation felt like a mission to her so she had just…

“Sakura. It’s going to be okay. We’ll take a look around in the morning and see what’s to do about...it.” Kakashi slid his arm under her body and hugged her back up against his chest, pulling her close by the waist. He brushed her hair off of her neck and to the side, kissing her neck gently. “It’s going to be okay.”

She knew he didn’t think that. She knew he was saying it to make her feel better but it only made her feel worse, made her worry more. If he was worried enough to try to reassure her like he was doing...it was bad.

“Kakashi, I’m glad that...you’re here with me. If this had happened while I was alone…” His grip around her waist tightened almost painfully.

“We don’t know for sure what’s happened. Don’t even think like that.” His tone was much harsher than he had meant it to be but the thought of losing her...felt like cold fear stabbing him in the heart. “We’re together, we’re here together.”

...back home in Konoha, Ino knocked on Sakura’s apartment door impatiently.

“Hey forehead! Wake up!” Ino banged on the door once more before turning and stomping down the stairs to Sakura’s apartment building. 

“Where the heck are you Sakura?” Ino tilted her head back and looked up at the blue sky of another beautiful Spring day in Konoha.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hardly ever tell what is going on 'back home', when I do a time travel fic unless it is absolutely necessary. I find it annoying because I prefer to live in the now, whatever now it may be, so going back and forth in time seems pointless to me, however...it was necessary in 'Tenacity' and I think it will also be necessary in this one.
> 
> \- I never title my chapters either, unless it means something to me, that just occurred to me


End file.
